A8
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
SEPTEMBER 2017
Take good care of your child’s baby teeth. They do eventually fall out but until they do, baby
teeth play an important role in helping your child bite and chew food, and speak clearly. Baby
teeth also save space for the permanent teeth, and help guide them into place.
Even before your child gets his or her first tooth, you should wipe your child’s gums with an
infant gum massager, clean damp gauze or a washcloth. Once your child’s teeth come in,
brush them twice a day using a soft bristled toothbrush with water.
Underneath your child’s baby teeth, the roots and position of the adult teeth are growing
into place.
Research shows that children who develop cavities in their baby teeth are more likely to
develop cavities as an adult, so be sure to get your child to a dentist for a checkup. It is
important to keep your child’s baby teeth clean, but once the permanent teeth start to come
in you really need to make cleaning them a priority so their permanent teeth will last a
lifetime.
Many of the same dental treatment and evaluation options that adults have are also available
to kids. These include x-rays, dental sealants, orthodontic treatments and more.
Begin using toothpaste to brush your child’s teeth when he or she is 2 years old. Be careful to
use only a small dab of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice). Young children tend to
swallow toothpaste when brushing rather than spitting it out. Introduce fluoride toothpaste
when your child is old enough not to swallow it. As soon as two teeth touch each other, floss
between them once a day. You can use regular floss or special plastic floss holders.
At some point, your child will want to brush his or her own teeth. It’s fine to give them a turn.
But afterwards, you should always brush your child’s teeth a second time. Most children won’t
be able to brush their teeth well on their own until they are about 8 years old.
While what your child eats is important for healthy teeth, how often a child eats
is just as important. Frequent snacking can increase a child’s risk for tooth
decay.
Cavities can develop when sugar-containing foods are allowed to stay in
the mouth and allowed to form plaque. Bacteria that live in the plaque
on the teeth feast on sugar and bits of food. They create acid, which eats
away at tooth enamel. Between meals or snacks, saliva washes away the
acid. If your child is always eating, there may not be time for this acid to
get washed away.
When most people think of sugar, they think of white sugar that is found in
candy and baked goods. But all foods that contain carbohydrates will ultimately
break down into sugars.
Permanent teeth need regular cleaning and flossing. Dentists recommend following this
routine after every meal or snack. When you start to take care of your child’s permanent
teeth, you will need to brush and floss his teeth for him until he gets older. Use toothpaste
and a toothbrush designed for children. A child’s toothbrush has softer bristles that will not
hurt your child’s teeth and gums. Try using children’s flossers with handles so that you can
teach your child how to floss his own teeth.
When a child is about 6 years old their teeth will begin to come loose. Let your child wiggle
the tooth until it falls out on its own. This will minimize the pain and bleeding associated
with a lost tooth.
Be on the lookout for cavities. What and how frequently your kids snack can have a big
impact on their oral health. There are a few tips for snacking and mealtime.
• Give your child healthy snack foods, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and cheese.
• Buy foods that are sugar-free or unsweetened.
• Serve sugary or starchy foods as part of a meal, rather than as a snack. Most children
drink liquids during a meal. Encourage kids to drink water during and at the end of
their meals to wash out any remnant sugar.
• Offer fewer snacks during the day.
• After your child snacks, make sure his or her teeth are brushed. If this is not possible,
have your child rinse with water several times or let them chew sugar free gum after
eating.
• When chewing gum, choose a xylitol-sweetened or sugar-free gum.
Dr. Norman DeJong DDS, MPH, PC
Melanie DeJong RDH
132 W Front St.
Prairie City, OR 97869
541-820-4369
05959